Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard will be sidelined for a significant amount of time after sustaining a serious ankle injury while playing for Norway last week. The 25-year-old midfielder limped off during his country’s Nations League defeat to Austria in Oslo on September 9th and returned to London on crutches. He missed Arsenal’s North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, and manager Mikel Arteta confirmed the extent of the injury ahead of their opening Champions League game against Atalanta in Bergamo on Thursday.
Arteta revealed that scans have shown “significant damage” to one of the ligaments in Odegaard’s ankle, highlighting the seriousness of the injury. While Arteta hopes Odegaard won’t be sidelined for months, the exact timeframe for his recovery remains uncertain.
Odegaard’s absence is a major blow for Arsenal. He has established himself as a pivotal player for the club, missing only a handful of games over the past three seasons. Arteta emphasized Odegaard’s importance, calling him “our captain” and “one of the biggest and best players in our team.” He highlighted the captain’s influence on Arsenal’s identity, stating that his absence will “be a big test for the team to see how able we are to show a different face.”
Norway manager Stale Solbakken acknowledged the severity of the injury, expressing that he is “preparing for a life without Martin” for the time being. He emphasized that the recovery timeline is uncertain and will be determined on a week-by-week basis, with some types of ligament damage healing faster than others.
With Odegaard’s absence confirmed, Arsenal faces a challenging period. They are currently second in the Premier League, trailing Manchester City by two points, and are starting their Champions League campaign. The team will need to adapt and find ways to perform effectively without their captain and key playmaker.
